Essence of the Demon: Agent of Power
by Lord umbrex
Summary: Arc two of Essence of the Demon focuses on the looming threat, and the fight to stop them. With this threat, however, comes love in the form of a man with a dark past, who wants revenge for his parents' murder.


Disclaimer: I don't own Charmed, but the WB does.

AN: This is the second arc of my "Charmed: Essence of the Demon" story; I decided to break it down arc by arc, because I'm afraid it's length may detract people. So if you recognize it, that's why. If you haven't read the first arc, then you should read that before this one. You can read the first arc in "Essence of the Demon: Cage of Lies" or read the whole story in "Charmed: Essence of the Demon". Review and tell me what you think!

**Chapter 1: Agent **

"Are you sure this was the place, Pheebs?" Piper asked looking around the warehouse. The warehouse was huge, being able to hold hundreds of car-sized boxes that housed only god knew what.

"Yup, this was the place of my premonition." Phoebe replied, remembering her premonition from an hour ago. It had been in this exact warehouse that a being, presumably a demon, killed a young witch. She just hoped they came fast enough to save her.

As Paige rounded the corner, she saw it. The person they were supposed to save was already dead. The body was stabbed in the heart by an athame. "We're too late." Paige whispered, turning away from the young woman. She could never get used to the sight of a dead human.

"What? Pheebs, are you sure you saw the future?" Piper said.

Phoebe frowned. "I thought it was. But it…if felt like it wasn't a natural premonition. It was as if it was forced on me."

"Forced on you by who?" Paige asked, wondering what her sister was getting at. It wasn't everyday that a vision failed to save a life of an innocent.

"I don't know, but…" Phoebe's response was interrupted by a voice from behind.

"Damn it, I missed it again," said a black haired man. He was dressed in a shirt and tie, and was carrying a gun; which, after realizing he was in no danger, was holstered. He studied the sister's, his eyes falling on Paige longer than the other two.

Piper jumped. "Okay, who are you?"

"None of your concern." The man replied. Grabbing his walky-talky, he spoke into it. "Dispatch, we have another victim."

"A cop?" Phoebe asked.

The man shook his head in the negative, turning his attention to the sisters. "Federal Agent of Homeland Security. Leave before the others get here." He said, motioning to the door on the other side of the building. Not needing another warning, the sisters ran out of the factory so Paige could orb them all home.

"Did you get him?" Leo asked the second they landed.

"No," Phoebe began, taking a seat in Cole's lap. "She was already dead when we got there."

Leo shook his head with a frown. "That's the tenth witch dead this week." The Elders were getting worried, as was Leo.

"Who's doing this? Do the elders have any idea?" Paige questioned, biting her lip. With her sister witches dieing like lambs, she couldn't help but wonder if she were next. She worried about her sisters and her nephews; they needed their mother's.

"No. But it's a power far greater than any other we've felt." Leo said as he took a seat at the table. "It's not a demon, though. Demon's have been getting killed like flies as well."

"What ever it is, you'll beat it." Cole said trying to ease everyone's nerves.

After what Cole's memories showed Phoebe, the witch had discussed it with the rest of the family. Everyone, especially Paige, had been surprised about the desperation Phoebe felt from the possessed Cole. The strength he showed in trying to fight the Source astounded them. They immediately felt terrible about how they treated the ex-demon upon his return from the Wasteland, and vowed to treat him like the family he was. Phoebe had also told them of her intentions in remarrying Cole, and since then everything had been running smoothly. Of course, Cole didn't know about Phoebe's plans just yet, but in time she would propose to him. "Hopefully." Phoebe sighed.

Cole wrapped his arms around her; as if to tell her he would protect her. "You will. There hasn't been anything that you haven't beaten before."

Leo looked up to the ceiling; he nodded and looked down at the girls with freight. "Another witch is being attacked. Go to her! Down by the docks." Jumping up, Paige orbed the three girls out and to the docks.

Cole took Payton in his arms, and began to walk around; clearly worried for the sisters. "This is scaring the Elders, isn't it?"

Leo nodded, taking Wyatt in his arms as well. "Fourteen witches in nine days, and a whitelighter."

"Were they powerful witches?" Cole asked furrowing his brow. He kissed Payton's cheek as the young boy began to cry and wail in his father's arms.

"Not as powerful as the sisters, but they were up there." Leo replied, watching Payton as he cried. As the Elder opened his mouth to talk, Wyatt began to cry as well.

"Hmm," Cole said, rocking the crying Payton. Noticing Wyatt crying, Cole looked at Leo. "Something's wrong! Take me to mommy, Payton. Can you do that for me?" Cole asked his son. Before he knew it, he was being flamed out of the manor, while Wyatt was orbing Leo out.

They arrived by the docks, and were startled by what they saw. A dead witch was lying on the ground in front of a figure that was creeping his way towards the frozen sisters. An energy ball was entering his hand, as he cocked back to throw it. Not bothering to fight, Leo swished his hands at the sisters and orbed them back to the manor. The figure scowled and turned their way, but the two men and their sons were already leaving by way of teleportation. Payton flamed his father and himself back home to where the sisters were safely frozen. A few seconds passed, and the freeze wore off.

"What happened?" Leo asked as soon as they were able to talk.

"How did we get here?" Piper looked around at her surroundings. The last thing she remembered was the demon killing that witch, and then turning his attention towards the Charmed Ones.

"Payton and Wyatt began to cry before, and teleported us to you. When we got there, the witch was dead, and you three were frozen. Leo orbed you all back home." Cole supplied.

"Frozen?" Paige asked, cocking an eyebrow.

Leo nodded. "As if Piper froze you. The guy was about to kill you, too."

Phoebe smiled, and tickled her son in his father's arms. "Did you save mommy?" She was rewarded with the purest of giggles that put a smile on everyone's faces.

"Did you guys see who it was?" Paige asked while beginning the trek to the book.

Following suit, Leo started up the stairs. "No, he had his hood up."

Paige sighed, rubbing her forehead in frustration. "Well, maybe the book will have something."

The group made their way up to the attic. Standing around the Book of Shadows, Piper and Phoebe stared at the babies that were sitting in their playpen. The pair played with their toys, clearly amused by the simplest of things; their innocence was magnified by the amount of power the two had between themselves. "How do you think they knew?" Piper asked the group. "They knew we were in danger right? That's why they were crying?"

The conversation was cut off when the doorbell rang out. "I'll get it." Paige said walking out of the attic. She saw a figure of a man through the silhouette on the window of the door. Thinking it was Darryl; she opened the door with a smile. "Hey Dar…It's you!" Paige said surprised.

The federal agent from before smiled to her, showing his pearly white teeth. "It's me." He agreed with her, laughing slightly. "May I come in, Ms. Matthews?" He asked politely.

"Ah, sure." Paige responded, worriedly. "Does this have something to do with that girl that was killed?" Did he want to question them about it? Did he think she was to blame for that poor girl's death? Did he know that she was trying to save her, not kill her?

"You mean the witch, right?" The agent replied.

Paige frowned, inwardly scowling; _how could he know about magic?_ "Witch? What do you mean by that?"

The agent smiled at her lack of acting skills. "You don't have to pretend, Ms. Matthews, I know you and your sisters are witches. I have been covering up, and throwing away files that relate to you and your sisters for months now."

Paige cocked an eyebrow in surprise. "What? Why? There are files on us?" She gasped, forgetting that she just admitted that she was a witch to a federal agent.

The Agent smiled, knowing why she gasped. "You're good people. You and your sisters make this world a better place. Using my authority every once in a while to protect you from the media and police, is my way to say thanks for you guys protecting me from demons."

Paige gave him a dreamy smile. _He's cute, _she thought. Shaking her head, she said, "Follow me." Walking up the stairs, she made small talk. "I didn't catch your name…Mr.?"

"Brody," The agent replied. "Kyle Brody. You're Paige, right?

"Yup," Paige said looking back at him. "Paige Matthews."

"Pretty name." Brody said walking up the last landing.

Paige sighed, while entering the attic. "We have a problem!"

"What's wrong?" Leo asked from the corner.

The agent walked in, and closed the door behind him. "I need your help."

"With what?" Piper asked, recognizing him from before. She hoped he wasn't here to arrest them or something.

"Well, my name is Agent Kyle Brody. I've been hunting a race of creatures that have been killing witches and demons." He told them, a mix of fear and anger in his eyes.

Cole took the lead of the group the second he heard the guy was a federal agent. Being an attorney, he knew their games. "Race of creatures?"

Brody nodded. "They're monsters; blood thirsty creatures that killed my parents years ago."

"Do you know what they are?" Leo asked, trying to get whatever information he could.

Shaking his head, Brody sneered. "I have a potion that can kill them, and if you kill one they all weaken, they become vulnerable. They're connected to each other; their powers are tied. I don't know what they are though."


End file.
